metaphysics
Hocbigg - Metaphysics
Path to a free self-taught education in Metaphysics!
Contents
Summary
The curriculum is a complete education in Metaphysics using online materials. It is designed to provide a well-rounded foundation equivalent to a 4-year undergraduate program in Philosophy with a specialization in Metaphysics, focusing on questions of existence, reality, being, causality, time, mind, and related topics (minus unrelated general-education requirements).
The program emphasizes critical thinking, logical argumentation, textual analysis, and philosophical writing, drawing from historical and contemporary perspectives. It prioritizes free MOOCs where available, supplemented by high-quality textbooks when necessary (authoritative paid options first, followed by free/open alternatives like the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) entries).
Learners will develop competencies in analyzing metaphysical arguments, constructing coherent positions on ontological issues, evaluating epistemological foundations of metaphysical claims, and applying metaphysical concepts to real-world problems like personal identity or free will.
Organization
- Intro Metaphysics: Orientation and fundamentals to test fit, build study habits, and cover basic philosophy including introductory metaphysics and logic.
- Core Metaphysics: Roughly the first three years of a major; required foundational topics including general metaphysics, epistemology (as it underpins metaphysical knowledge claims), history of philosophy (focusing on metaphysical thinkers), and philosophy of mind.
- Advanced Metaphysics: Final-year style electives; choose one concentration from 2–4 paths (e.g., Ontology, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Time and Causality, Modal Metaphysics) to develop deeper expertise, completing all recommended resources within the chosen path.
- Final Project: A capstone to consolidate, validate, and showcase knowledge; peer-review ready.
Duration. 1–2 years, ~20 hours/week, carefully planned to be sustainable. This assumes 4–6 “semesters” of 12–15 weeks each, with breaks for reflection.
Note: When there are courses or books that don’t fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings or extras/other_curricula.
Process. Students can work through the curriculum alone or in groups, in order or out of order.
- We recommend doing all courses in Core, only skipping a course when you are certain that you’ve already learned the material previously.
- For simplicity, we recommend working through courses (especially Core) in order from top to bottom. Some students choose to study multiple courses at a time in order to vary the material they are working on in a day/week.
- The courses in the Advanced section are electives. Choose one track to specialize in and complete all the courses listed under it.
Communities
- Forums:
- Subreddits:
- Discord servers:
- Other:
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
Curriculum
Note: The overall sequence is linear (Intro → Core → Advanced), but logic can be studied alongside intro courses.
Intro Metaphysics
These provide orientation, test interest, and build essential skills like argumentation and reading philosophical texts.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Philosophy | Provides foundational orientation to philosophy, including key areas like epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind, building essential skills in argumentation and critical thinking. | Introduction to Philosophy | |
| Reality Bites: Introduction to Metaphysics | Introduces core metaphysical concepts such as universals, substance, time, causality, persistence, and composition through accessible analogies, testing interest in metaphysical problems. | Reality Bites: Introduction to Metaphysics | |
| Language, Proof and Logic | Develops formal logic skills essential for rigorous metaphysical argumentation, covering proofs, semantics, and first-order logic to analyze philosophical claims precisely. | Language, Proof and Logic |
Core Metaphysics
Builds foundational knowledge equivalent to lower- and upper-division coursework. Emphasize practice: weekly essays on readings, group discussions for critique.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metaphysics | Establishes core metaphysical foundations on existence, mind-body problem, personal identity, causation, and free will, equivalent to advanced undergraduate coursework. | Metaphysics | |
| Epistemology | Explores the nature of knowledge, justification, skepticism, and sources of belief, providing tools to evaluate metaphysical claims about reality and certainty. | Epistemology by Richard Fumerton; free alternative: SEP articles on Epistemology and Skepticism | |
| Ancient Philosophy: Plato & His Precursors + Aristotle & His Successors | Grounds metaphysics in historical foundations, examining forms, being, causality, and substance from Plato and Aristotle to inform contemporary debates. | Ancient Philosophy: Plato & His Precursors; Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle & His Successors | |
| Philosophy and the Science of Human Nature | Integrates metaphysics with psychology, addressing mind-body dualism, personal identity, and free will to understand human nature scientifically and philosophically. | Philosophy and the Science of Human Nature | |
| Death | Applies metaphysical concepts to immortality, personal identity, and the value of life, deepening understanding through existential and applied perspectives. | Death |
Advanced Metaphysics
Choose one specialization path and complete all items within it for depth (equivalent to senior electives). Each path ~12–24 weeks, 10–15 hours/week. Use SEP for supplemental readings; join philosophy forums for peer feedback on advanced essays/projects.
Ontology
(Nature of Being and Existence)
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontology | Investigates the fundamental nature of being, existence, categories, and ontological debates, providing a structured overview essential for advanced metaphysical inquiry. | A Survey of Metaphysics by E.J. Lowe; free alternative: SEP Ontology and Categories | Exploring Human Existence: Martin Heidegger’s Being and Time |
Philosophy of Mind
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy of Mind | Examines consciousness, mental states, AI, and the mind-body relation, bridging metaphysics with cognitive science for insights into human cognition and identity. | Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings ed. by David Chalmers; free alternative: SEP Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness | Minds and Machines; Philosophy of the Cognitive Sciences |
Philosophy of Time and Causality
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy of Time and Causality | Analyzes the metaphysics of time, causality, and related puzzles (e.g., McTaggart’s argument), clarifying temporal experience and causal necessity in reality. | Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction by Michael J. Loux; free alternative: SEP Time and Causation |
Modal Metaphysics and Logic
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modal Metaphysics and Logic | Explores necessity, possibility, possible worlds, and modal proofs, advancing logical tools for metaphysical analysis of contingency and counterfactuals. | Modal Logic for Philosophers by James Garson; free alternative: SEP Modal Logic and Possible Worlds | Semantics of First-Order Logic |
Final Project
A culminating project to apply and demonstrate knowledge: Write a 15–20 page original philosophical paper on a metaphysical topic (e.g., “Is Time Real? A Defense of Eternalism” or “Ontological Commitments in Quantum Mechanics”), integrating concepts from Intro, Core, and chosen Advanced path.
Scoped and structured stages: (1) Planning (4 weeks: proposal, literature review using SEP/PhilPapers, outline); (2) Development (8 weeks: drafting arguments, counterarguments, revisions); (3) Completion (4 weeks: final edit, abstract, bibliography).
Goals: Synthesize theory/methods, argue rigorously, showcase critical skills. Deliverables: Paper, 5–10 minute video presentation (record via Zoom). Evaluation: Self-assess against rubric (clarity, originality, evidence); seek peer review via r/askphilosophy, academic forums, or study groups.
Optional: Submit to undergraduate philosophy journals or blogs for validation. This consolidates learning and prepares for further study or teaching.
Congratulations
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor’s degree in Metaphysics. Congratulations!